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Jason Segel has never shied away from juggling big projects, but looking back, the actor admits his 20s were overwhelming. Between his long run on How I Met Your Mother and hit films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up and The Muppets, Segel found himself exhausted yet determined. His motivation often came from one of his biggest idols, Michael J. Fox.
“You would hear these stories about Michael J. Fox doing Family Ties while shooting Back to the Future — going from one set to another and sleeping in his trailer,” Segel recalls. “We used to talk about like, ‘Hey, if Michael J. Fox can do this, we can do this!’”
Now, Fox has come full circle into Segel’s world, guest starring in Season 3 of Apple TV+’s Emmy-nominated comedy Shrinking. Although Segel doesn’t share many scenes with him, the chance to thank Fox was deeply personal. “I got to tell him, ‘Hey, I think you got me through a lot of these experiences,’” he says.
Season 2 of Shrinking earned Segel an Emmy nomination for comedy lead actor, while his co-star Harrison Ford received his first-ever Emmy nod for supporting actor in a comedy. Segel credits Ford’s work ethic and wisdom as a guiding force, particularly a monologue Ford delivers in the Season 2 finale. “It’s the best acting I’ve ever seen,” Segel says. “It was a 1:1 ratio of what he must be thinking about at 83 years old — about career, purpose, and time left. We were all crying.”
Season 3 also introduces Jeff Daniels as Segel’s on-screen father. Segel praises the casting: “That was the most brilliant casting for my dad. Jeff is one of those guys who can’t be put in a box — comedy, drama, anything. Watching him opened my brain about not limiting yourself.”
As he settles into his 40s, Segel says the material feels richer. “In my 20s, I thought that was my prime. But now, after life experience, the parts are deeper. My 20s were rehearsal, and now I get to really express something.”
Outside of Shrinking, Segel still revisits his beloved Dracula puppet musical from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, performing it in secret shows around Los Angeles. He also hasn’t ruled out a return to How I Met Your Mother if the opportunity arises.
Looking ahead, Segel is preparing for a thriller he wrote himself, inspired by classics like Fatal Attraction and Cape Fear. “It’s a two-hander, an idea that’s haunted me for a decade. I finally felt old enough and smart enough to write it,” he says.
From sitcom star to serious dramatist, Segel has learned to embrace growth, mentorship, and reinvention. As he puts it, “I realized the best way forward is to surround myself with people I admire — to keep being an apprentice, over and over again.”
